Faro in Portugal, with a daily cost of £22.82, and Antalya in Turkey, at £23.11 per day, closely follow as the second and third cheapest respectively. Paphos in Cyprus, costing £24.30 per day, and Seville in southern Spain, at a mere £25.39, round off the top five.
Alicante (£25.41) and Valencia (£25.42), both in Spain, along with Larnaca in Cyprus (£25.92), are also among the most affordable destinations for car hire. Spain’s Malaga (£25.98) and Lisbon in Portugal (£25.99) complete the top 10.
These figures were gathered by Skyscanner, utilising data from its car rental service across numerous European and global destinations.
Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner’s expert on travel trends and destinations, commented: “Hiring a car lets you get out and about to enjoy parts of your trip you might otherwise miss.”
“From stunning coastal scenery to getting up close and personal with a city, there are so many benefits to getting behind the wheel and exploring.”
“Hiring a car can be an extremely affordable way to get around while on holiday, if travellers know the tips and hacks for shopping around and comparing their options.”
For those seeking the best value car hire, Albania has seen the largest price drop year-on-year, down 34 per cent. Those planning to drive in Italy will also find cheaper car hire fees, 26 per cent lower than last year, while France (down 16 per cent) and Austria (down 15 per cent) also offer good value for drivers.
Research has revealed that 12 per cent of holidaymakers leave it until the day before or even the day of travel to book their vehicle. However, data from Skyscanner suggests those planning to hire a car in Spain or Italy should do so a week before they travel, while those heading to France should secure their vehicle hire two weeks in advance for the best price.
A survey of 2,000 drivers, conducted via OnePoll, found that France (27 per cent), Spain (21 per cent) and Ireland (13 per cent) are the most popular foreign countries to drive in.
The top benefits of driving abroad include seeing sights you wouldn’t have otherwise (39 per cent), a sense of freedom (37 per cent) and experiencing unique scenery (34 per cent). Others appreciate the ease of getting around (43 per cent).
However, unfamiliar traffic rules (44 per cent) and driving on the opposite side of the road (43 per cent) are the main deterrents for holidaymakers considering getting behind the wheel abroad.
A spokesperson for Skyscanner commented: “While it might be daunting driving on the opposite side of the road, or getting to grips with foreign road signs, people soon get used to it and enjoy the experience.”
“As our research shows, there’s a whole host of situations where you can benefit from getting behind the wheel. Gone is the need to wait ages for unreliable public transport – get behind the wheel and enjoy the holiday you want, where you want.”
TOP 10 CHEAPEST PLACES TO HIRE A CAR IN EUROPE.
- Valetta, Malta – £20.68.
- Faro, Portugal – £22.82.
- Antalya, Turkey – £23.11.
- Paphos, Cyprus – £24.30.
- Seville, Spain – £25.39.
- Alicante, Spain – £25.41.
- Valencia, Spain – £25.42.
- Larnaca, Cyprus – £25.96.
- Malaga, Spain – £25.98.
- Lisbon, Portugal – £25.99.